Meet the 2017 Trip of a Lifetime winners

After hours of deliberation, a judge’s panel from Foxtel and the AFL Coaches Association selected the 2017 Foxtel #ThanksCoach Trip of a Lifetime winners.

The nominated coaches were selected based on their coaching achievements, on and off the track.

The Trip of a Lifetime is designed to say thank you to these coaches for all their hard work over this season, and in season’s past.

Each of the winners will receive:

2 tickets to the 2017 Toyota AFL Grand Final

2 tickets to the CUB Carlton Draught Tent before the Grand Final

2 tickets to the 2017 Toyota AFL Grand Final Eve Luncheon

Return flights to Melbourne

3 night’s accommodation in the Melbourne CBD

To hear about our winners, read below!

James Ivill

Having studied and worked in Melbourne for the past few years, James moved to back to his home town of Euroa in 2016.

James is the coach of the Euroa Football Netball Club’s Reserves team. Having started the season at the bottom of the ladder, James led his team to finals this year.

What stood out to our judges is his mental health initiative, My Future Academy, which aims to engage young people through fitness and recreation in an effort to eliminate the negative stigma surrounding mental health within the community.

Cameron Roberts

As the Senior Coach at Melbourne University Blacks, Cameron was nominated for the Trip of a Lifetime by one of his assistant coaches. His nomination highlighted Robert’s “focus on ensuring that the guys that come under his leadership leave the club as better men, not just better footballers”.

Throughout his tenure, he has led initiatives including mental health awareness (Think & Thin), social inclusion of LGBTIQ players (Gay? That's Okay!) and also shines a light on indigenous recognition at the club.

Roberts is also a member of the coaching staff for the Western Bulldogs AFLW team.

Michelle Kalinski

As the only female coach at Riddells Creek Junior Football Club, Michelle also steps up to the role of Treasurer and Game Day Coordinator each season. She does this all while working as a physio and being a full-time mother.

For the past 3 years she has single-handedly run the local Auskick program and the number of children participating is growing year on year.

Shane Anderson

Shane is a first-year coach from Tea Tree Gully Football Club in Adelaide. This season, Shane fought and won getting a girl’s competition up and running, and then, when no one else stepped up to coach, Shane volunteered.

He led his U14 girls team to the Grand Final in his first year as a junior football coach, and they won!

As one of his player’s parents wrote, “the girls cherish him and want him to coach again next season. He has been patient, inspirational and an absolute legend”.

There will be plenty of ways to say #ThanksCoach in seasons to come, so make sure you register your interest to stay up to the date with all the latest news and events.